A portion of the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo

The Renaissance bridged the time from antiquity into the modern age. During this time period, northern Italian city-states rose in prominence after the Crusades due to their beneficial position as centers of trade. These city-states provided birthplaces for the great artists, writers, scientists, and engineers of the Renaissance. Italian artists and writers embraced a more secular focus, while the works of Northern Renaissance artists and writers continued to feature religious subjects. The Italian city-state of Florence and the Belgian city of Flanders were key during the Renaissance. Many contributions of this time are still present and influential in modern art and culture.